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Editor-in-chief: Johanna Salomaa-Valkamo

Editor: Päivi Jokiniemi

Article related to: News from ECHA

Don’t waste the chance – make recycled products safer

Under the revised Waste Framework Directive, ECHA has been given a task to build a database on articles containing substances of very high concern (SVHCs) from the Candidate List. The main aim is to support circular economy, prevent waste being generated and reduce hazardous substances in materials and products.

The database is part of the EU’s new package, aiming to reuse recycled waste as a reliable source of raw materials in the future.

By having a better knowledge of which articles contain hazardous substances, waste treatment operators can improve their waste separation and recycling processes. It will also increase authorities’ information on Candidate List substances in articles.

What the database will be about

The ECHA database will contain information on articles containing Candidate List substances, in quantities of more than 0.1 % of their weight.

Companies who supply such articles – either produced in the EU or imported – will need to submit company data, Candidate List substance data, the article description and safe use instructions of the article to ECHA.

This information requirement is not new. Under REACH, companies already have to communicate information on articles containing Candidate List substances down the supply chain.

However, there is very little information for waste operators about the hazardous substances in the waste they are processing.

This can lead to hazardous substances ending up in recycled materials. The database aims to resolve this gap in the information flow.

Who will be using it?

The primary users of the database will be waste treatment operators and consumers. The database should increase knowledge on which substances are used in which articles.

It will ultimately help waste operators to improve their waste separation and recycling processes. All of this will steadily contribute to a more circular economy.

Consumers can use this information to find out more about the SVHCs in the products they buy and make informed choices. This will also increase pressure to substitute substances of concern.

Also, Member State authorities can use the database to improve their understanding of substances of concern in certain products and adapt their waste reduction and treatment policies at national level.

What is the scope?

The scope is potentially very large – both in terms of articles to be notified and companies who need to submit information to ECHA.

All articles supplied in the EU that contain Candidate List substances above 0.1% of their weight are covered as well as all actors in the supply chain:

Discussions have included, for example, information flow in the supply chain and data requirements (who should submit what?), dissemination of information to waste operators and consumers, and technical solutions for submitting data.

Next steps

ECHA will continue to work on the scenario for the database and develop detailed IT requirements, taking into account the feedback received.

This work will be done together with the Member State authorities and the European Commission.

There will also be specific stakeholder focus groups working on technical aspects of the project.

The timeline now depends on the available resources for the long-term project. According to the revised Waste Framework Directive, ECHA has to establish a database by 5 January 2020, while duty holders will have to submit information to it as from 5 January 2021.

Waste Framwork Directive

The Waste Framework Directive is part of the EU’s waste package. It addresses environmental issues, covering the impact of inappropriate waste management on greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and littering.

The package ensures that valuable material in waste is effectively re-used, recycled and re-injected into the European economy. It will thereby help Europe to move towards a circular economy and reduce the EU's dependence on the import of raw materials by promoting prudent, efficient and rational use of natural resources.

The amount of articles on the EU market is very large. For example, a bike consists of many different articles that should be notified to the database if they contain Candidate List substances above 0.1% of their weight. Image: iStock.com/ESHMA.